Maria Full of Grace
by xoxoLee
Summary: Naiveté has its advantages and disadvantages for Maria, and this is one of those times where it doesn't help to be so innocent.
1. Chapter 1

He never called her beautiful, which seemed fine to her. He was the only one that talked in their relationship. One day she had tried to share her opinion but was slapped across her face for her effort. For the rest of the week she had a bruise but make-up was a glorious thing. Although most would be disheartened after such a painful silence, Maria never stopped trying. Wasn't she supposed to try to make things right? Wasn't she supposed to try to make him happy?

Everyone had told her wrong.

"You have to know how to treat a guy. Do little things to show him you care," her older cousin had told her once. They were in a dark corner when it came to mind. "Do little things". They had been kissing for a good ten minutes, silent and furious, when the smallest thing she could take care of announced itself. He was so focused on their involvement that a lock of blonde hair had fallen in front of his eye. It seemed so sweet, and it seemed so innocent. Maria still couldn't understand what was so wrong about brushing it back behind his ear or letting her fingertips travel along the side of his neck. His grip on her shoulders tightened. "Stay still."

She willingly obeyed but he was done with her a few minutes later.

Why was she back then? This meeting had no more class than the last ones. They had met in the most unusual, possibly unsanitary, places but they all ended the same. Every thing he touched was toxic. Her instructions were simple: get to the room and sit there. Maria was always the one left waiting, and she did so without complaints. No one wanted to see a depressed girl on the other side of the door. There was no greeting when the door opened. Her blue-green eyes sparkled as she looked at him but he didn't acknowledge her presence in any way. Only when he turned to her and undid his belt did she know without a doubt that he knew she was there.

This time is different, she thought. She always thought. But it all felt the same when her knees were apart and when he plunged himself to his limit. It was always just his limit. Every time he had the same sneer on his face. Stress was always what she blamed. "Life never gives you what you expect," she thought. He wasn't gentle or loving. In his eyes she did not have needs. Maria was a living, breathing doll to him. He showed her no more compassion than he showed a scrap of plastic.

Reality pushed her out of her fantasy world, but it must have been hard for her to get her feet back on the ground. He was more tense than ever, much to Maria's interest. Sadly, she wanted what she would not be getting. When he came, she was sure he would tell her he loved her. Instead he rolled off her and onto his back. Without her own desires taken care of she looked over at him as he laid on his back. That was it.

Maria inched closer to curl up against him. Would he let her sleep? Would he push her away? Or would he pull her closer? "Go get cleaned up. We both have places to be." He left her staring wide-eyed as he pulled his jeans on and rolled out of the bed.

"Adam?" She asked as she pulled the sheets closer. Their eyes met for one of the few moments. He was standing by the doorway with his wallet in his hand. He had set down two twenty dollar bills right beside the lamp. "Nothing." He didn't give it a second thought.

Everyone was right. She was a stupid girl.


	2. Chapter 2

The nights all bled together, but there was no point in starting a new day.

That was what Maria had told herself before, but that was before she gathered her hope back. Now? Now she was grinning from ear to ear with only the moon knowing. Finally things were going her way, at least under the circumstances, they were. They were in a hotel, as always, but her silent companion had adopted a new demeanor. As little as they were to other people, to her they changed everything.

He listened to her. Silly, right? Not to Maria. It was like a dream for her to think back to because of how unreal it felt at the time. He, who never smiled, who never acknowledged her name, was letting her voice an opinion. Sometimes he even looked like he was thinking over what she had said. A subtle nod. A scowl. A look into her eyes. Did Maria even know that he was capable of expressing body language?

Those eyes.

Every time she had tried to look he caught her and immediately showed his displeasure. It was never good to get him angry, so she never tried again. Only when he deliberately looked at her did she notice how beautiful they were. All this time she could have sworn that they were gray. They just looked so dead. But now, now she knew for sure that they were green. Jade, really.

Who was this man she was lying against? He was awake, that was for sure. Maria could feel his chest rising and falling with every inhalation and exhalation. She could feel his arm around her as she nestled into the crook of his arm, sighing happily at that warmth that was awaiting her. Feeling the security, as temporary as it probably was, Maria was able to do something she had never done with him: fall asleep. Or was it sweet death?

She knew that when she died, heaven would feel exactly like that.

"Maria?" For the first time in their twisted relationship, Maria was able to close her eyes and reopen them with the belief that her dignity was intact. She was awakening to the sound of the gentlest whisper she had ever heard in her life coming from the one of the most coldhearted people she had ever met. Maybe he took the cake on that one.

She turned to lay flat on her back, looking up to see those piercing jade eyes staring down at her as he lay propped up on one elbow. For him to wake her up in the middle of the night, he wasn't in much of a rush. While she adjusted to waking he took it as his own personal playtime, trailing a finger from her bellybutton to her ribcage. Was it that time again?

Maria was going to ask him, or that's what she had told herself. She was probably just going to wait until she knew for sure what he wanted, if that was indeed on his mind. She had pulled herself up on her elbows when his finger stopped. "It's two in the morning." Adam said as he rolled out of bed. She could hear the familiar rustling of denim as he pulled his pants on. "You should probably leave before we fall asleep again. That wouldn't be good." Maria nodded lazily. How else do you react to rejection?

"I know…It wouldn't."

Old habits and reflexes told her to look back at him for approval before she did anything else. When she saw that he was just staring with dead eyes, she took that as permission to leave. Quickly, it was almost a game to her, Maria picked up the discarded clothes on the floor and dressed within minutes. They were robotic. There seemed to be no emotion put into their movement, and it was just a game of mimicry.

The mattress shifted as it was relieved of his bodyweight, even moreso when Maria followed suit. He walked like the living dead, shuffling his feet with no hurries. She followed in the exact same fashion. Life was bittersweet, and while everything else seemed to change, that expression didn't. If she was the type of girl that could afford to whine, she would have been doing that. It wasn't fair that she had to leave in the middle of the night. It wasn't fair that she felt special when he treated her like a person. But it wasn't an option to tell him or anyone else that.

"Tomorrow night. I'll tell you where." Why he was telling her, she didn't know. The procedure had never changed although the location did. Maria was sure that this was the last time she would be comfortable the way she was that night. It was risky enough that they were in the hotel that they were actually sleeping in. It was risky in the way that anyone could see them together. While people tended to keep to themselves, there was always a person or two that didn't want to keep quiet. In his mind, Adam was probably kicking himself in the head for being so foolish.

Maria's eyes were on the floor as he spoke. She didn't look at him but she nodded anyway. "Parting is such sweet sorrow." For being the dumb girl to everyone, Maria had a knack for remembering lines of poetry when the situation seemed to fit. And it did. It was easier to leave and come back when she didn't have to see his face and his eyes. It didn't hurt that he couldn't tell how pathetic she was for feeling sad that it was over.

Slowly she opened the door, the noise of it opening being the only goodbye between them until the plan changed. He grabbed her by the arm. Her eyes grew wide as she looked up at him. Had she done something wrong? The time that they were together was pleasant from her understanding, but maybe she had slipped up on something. Maybe it was because she wouldn't look at him before she left. It could have been anything. After all, things were changing.

"Don't look at me like that." And she didn't any longer. "I changed my mind. I want two more hours with you and then when I'm done I want you to leave." Maria nodded and backed away from the door. When she heard the click as it closed, rather than a slam, she couldn't help but smile. It wasn't like he could see her anyway. They went back to the way they were, laying together in what could be mistaken for an embrace between lovers.

"_You?_"

Another voice to awaken her, but in scratchy sound to it didn't belong to the man underneath her. Although Maria was content, her red headed rival had hatred boiling over.


End file.
